1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lead plate storage batteries and more particularly to electrolytes therefore.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The lead plate storage battery using sulfuric acid as the electrolyte is by far the most common rechargeable battery in use in the world today. The present invention is a new electrolyte which is alternative to the sulfuric acid electrolyte presently used in the lead plate storage battery. Prior patents for electrolytes such as U.S. Letters Pat. No. 1,722,343, for LIQUID FOR ACCUMULATORS, issued July 30, 1929, to G. Schmaus, and U.S. Letters Pat. No. 2,841,632 for ELECTROLYTE ADDITIVE FOR STORAGE BATTERIES, issued July 1, 1958, to J. Macholl and Kenneth Patterson, describe various additives that may be utilized in conjunction with a sulfuric acid electrolyte to improve the performance of the battery.
The concentration of sulfuric acid conventionally used in batteries generally leads to corrosion problems and requires careful handling to avoid injury. The electrolyte of the present invention provides an alternative to sulfuric acid electrolytes because the concentraton of acid can be substantially reduced. This results in an electrolyte that is less corrosive to battery terminals and less dangerous to the user. The present invention also describes additives which improve the performance of the electrolyte by preventing the build up of lead selenate on the battery plates.